No decant. Deep red color, complex nose. Blackberries, black and red currant, some vanilla and cacao notes with leather all included in a velvet cocoon. Medium silky finish with some acidity and some tannins left. I think there are some more years of development ahead.
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2004 almaviva Deep persistence and heavy nose Blackberrry, dark plum, rose and violet, cocoa and cinnamon, light charred vegetal character coming on late-becoming more pronounced with time, high acidity. Medium + body. Drink now, perhaps a bit spent but still outstanding. I prefer the Don Melchor but this is an outstanding bottle. Spent two hours in a decanter. 94 points.
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I wasn’t certain what to expect but it was utterly spectacular. At it’s peak so drink now, no need to wait. Tannins are resolved so you’re left with ripe, mature fruit. Full-bodied, mouth filling, 1 minute+ finish. Luckily , I have a couple more.
Color: deep garnet Nose: black cherry plum anise vanilla This is a full bodied wine with cherry and plum upfront followed by anise, vanilla and chocolate. A nice lingering finish with well integrated tannins. This is still quite vibrant with years to go. I purchased a case in early 2007 and they have been properly cellared since.
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Drink any time. This had a nose of smoky boysenberry fruit. Good lift. Mild, caressing tannins with blackberry, bitter chocolate, cracked pepper and a good mouth coat. This is it. Drink it now or maybe 1-2 years. It’s peaked, not likely to improve and, truthfully, why wait?
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Wow! Huge nose of Christmas cake. Big rich, tannins softening. Figs and dates, black cherry compote. Long finish. Full maturity, drink now. Complex and long.
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Medium ruby, with significant browning fading edges, viscous and highly extracted. Aromas of blackberry, black pepper, green bell pepper, some herbal notes and slight cigar. Full-bodied and high alcohol heat, with rounded tannins, and intense flavours of ripe blackberry, cherry, cloves, roasted bell pepper, and Chinese herbs. Fairly long finish, with a good complexity
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CB Wine Night #16 - CT92 up + 10 reviews + 2013 & Older!: Still young and the New World style is quite forthcoming. Palate of black fruits, cherries, dark chocolate and sweet herbs, the latter which threw me off a little. 91/92
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This has to be peaking, the nose includes forest floor, boysenberry and licorice notes. Flavors are lean but ample, blueberry, cracked pepper, cola, fine but caressing tannins, hints of leather. I’d drink by the end of 2020.
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(Wine lunch at Kevin % Vicki's).This was the last of our big reds, and after the 92 Mondavi, this seemed to be a young bright wine. Yet, it's 15 years old! What a show off! Everything about it just sang. I regret that my aging palate doesn't detect half the nuances Rocknroller finds, but you can read his detailed notes below. I did get a sweet mixed fruit nose with some vanella, and cedar offerings. The lush palate again has lots of developed fruit (by that I mean this is not a new world fruit bomb). A long lingering finish leaves one with a smdige of dark chocolate in a caressing glove of white pepper. I am not usually so romantic in my prose, but this wine....
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Wednesday Wine Lunch (Rocknroller's (Kevin & Vicki's Place)): Very dark red/purple color. PNP, drank 2 glasses over 4 hours plus. Impressive nose, complex with very pure fruits; cassis, boysenberry, blackberry, damp earth, truffle, cedarbox, pencil shavings and white pepper. The palate is full bodied and offers lovely brambly black and blue fruits; cassis, plum, boysenberry, blackberry, savory, graphite, truffle, soil, white pepper and a long finish with very polished tannins. This has beautiful fruit at 15+ years of age. Drinking more modern in style, forward and luxurious, but so balanced, complex, tart and fresh that there is no sense of this being anything short of outstanding. Reportedly 72% Cab and 28% Carmenere, but there's usually 4 or 5% Cab Franc that reduces the Carmenere percentage. The CT window suggests this is at the end of the line. I'd say far from it, this easily has 5 more years or more. 93+ to 94pts.
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A dry vintage apparently but whatever the cause the nose is like manure; yeah very off putting. If I ordered at a restaurant this would be an omg yikes! moment. Take it away. Palate has dried leaves and a pronounced grape skin tannins.
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Tuesday Night Double Blind $60+ (Alpharetta, GA): Dark core with maroon rim; green pepper, sweet red currant, Chile, sweet dense fruit, slight chocolate and mocha, red currants, leaner but a modern plushness, wet earth, green pepper, a creaminess, cinnamon, clove, vegetal; drinking very youthful, really stood out when compared to the Italian theme this evening; mentioned Almaviva but called '08 Montes M- keying on the Carmenere.
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Vinho espetacular. Vermelho rubi intenso, quase negro. Aromas de tabaco, especiarias, chocolate e baunilha. Na boca é muito macio, taninos bem equilibrados, sedoso e aveludado. Muito encorpado e extremamente saboroso, com final longo e persistente.
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Davyd's Birthday Celebration 2017 (Extra Space): Slow-oxed in bottle for 2 hours before tasting. Appearance is clear, deep intensisty, purplish-ruby colour. Legs. Nose is clean, pronounced intensity, with aromas of orange peel, tangerines, cedar, perfumy toasted oak, black fruits. Developing. On the palate, dry, medium acidity, high alcohol (14.5%), fine soft silky high tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of cedar, blackcurrant, blackberries, cassis, licorice, tobacco. Long finish. Very good quality. Very easy on the palate despite the high alcohol, probably due to the relaxed acidity and the soft silky tannins. Easy to appreciate the sweet ripe black fruits here. Tastes like an ultra-modern extremely well polished Bordeaux. Will still last another 4-5 years but why wait. Already enjoyable. Blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon and 28% Carmenere. Commendably no green notes here for me. Interesting and intriguing tangerines on the nose. 2 days not under vacuum seal!: Still alive and kicking. With smooth chocolate, grilled herbs, and minty cedar. Very long finish.
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8.5/10 - Refer to prior note. Drinking really well. Just enough acidity to keep it fresh tasting and a little eucalyptus on the cigar box. A pity I'm out of this!
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This is one of the best wines I have had in weeks maybe months. The nose is all left bank Bordeaux. Aromas of earth, smoked cigar, curing asphalt converge to dominate the profile. Berry aromas follow and at this point the wine has me !
The mouth feel is pure velvet. Smooth and soft with flavors of cigar box cedar, cassis and aged blackberry. It's flavors are complex and not easily broken down given the black fruit which follows through to the finish.
The finish is over 1 minute long and lingers with blackberry, cassis, and cigar flavors. Wow !
While you might say that it is probably at peak right now, I think that this wine has tremendous potential. I had this wine several times over the past 10 years and this is the best showing. There are no obvious signs that it is done improving.
This is a fabulous wine and worth opening now. After my one minute of lingering flavor the wine contnues to produce flavor and its dryness on the finish tells me it could still improve.
This is an outstanding wine !!!!!
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Nice wine, even if I thought it was slightly overrippe (not far from being flabby). It is dense, powerful, and has nice tannins but lacks of acidity and finesse. Very technical and modern in the making, but quite nice though. I wouldn't drink this often, but once in a while is okay. It was actually better than what I initially expected.
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Decanted for two hours (tons of sediment). Really nice bottle of wine. Aromas of tobacco, woodsmoke, currants, red plum, and black licorice. The oak is still present but definitely as a supporting character these days, which is a great. Layers of cedar and black cherry preserves harmonize well with each other on the finish. 93pts.
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I quite enjoyed this bottle. The nez leaped out of the glass with deep berry, ash, a hint of evergreen Christmas. One of those rare wines enjoyable just by smelling in the glass. Flavors are nicely integrated with what feels like a perfectly balance fruit, acid and tannin. Purple grape, violet, blackstrap and black pepper in the finish. Perhaps could finish longer but that's looking for a nit. In my mind this is at peak.
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Tuesday Night Double Blind $40+ (Bin 75): Dark opaque core with thin crimson rim; new oak, high toned, nutty, dark fruit, chocolate, soy, cedar, dark cherry, almost seems Italian on nose; larger scaled on the palate, silky caressing tannin, dark fruit, plum, chocolate, decent acid, big, tar, lots of chocolate, dense; really good, modern but tasty; surprised to see this as Chile because it didn't have prominent green notes.
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Decanted at 1:30 pm, poured back into the bottle after cleaning the bottle (tons of sediment) at 6:30, brought to Mortons for dinner and followed for about an hour.
WOW. This wine is in an incredible spot right now. Balanced fruit - neither sweet nor dark and brooding. A bit of cherries but nothing like the Glaetzer Anaperenna we drank after it, some plums and some dark berries. The flavors were so well integrated that it was difficult to distinguish one from another, but it didn't matter because the overall flavor was just great and it went down so well. There was a bit of cocoa but very light along with a touch of berry. The tannins have quietly disappeared into the night. Color was very dark, finish was average.
AND in the "You can't make this up" category, I notice that a guy at the table next to us has called over the waiter and it obviously talking about our wine, so I lean over to talk to him. It turns out that he is a member of the family that controls or runs Concha y Toro. Alma Viva is a Chilean project of Baron Rothschild and Concha y Toro, much the same way as Opus is a project of Mondavi and Rothschild. He told me that they have a periodic event at Mouton and they pour the Alma Viva, the Opus and the Mouton together. He claimed that the Alma Viva always comes out on top. After this bottle, I am not surprised.
According to the tech sheet on the web site, this is 72% Cabernet and 28% Carmenere. The exact blend varies vintage to vintage. I was surprised at the lack of merlot because this has a very velvety merlot feel to it.
NOTE: This is the third Alma Viva bottle I have opened. There has been a lot of sediment in all the bottles. A careful decant is essential to the enjoyment of this wine.
Purple in colour turning ruby red, with a seductive nose with ripe plums. Upon entry the wine is smooth and rounded with mellow tannins. Concentrated berries and strawberry jam on the palate. The oak, structure and acidity are holding up very nicely, with some leathery and buttery notes in the end.
A very balanced wine.
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From magnum. Decanted half the bottle for 2 hours. Really a delicious wine, with rich dark fruits and lush texture. Vac u vin for two glasses the next day and still delicious. Pumped a second night to hold the last glass worth and while some of the intensity had faded, it was still full of fruit and life. No need to rush out and open these.
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In a terrific place right now, after 4 hours in decanter. Dark ruby, no sign of age. Equal parts fruit and earth, with a slight bias toward red vs black fruits. Would have proved a worth ringer in a BDX blind tasting, I think. Suitably proportioned a balanced, with a cool nature that added elegance and length to each taste. Full-bodied, pencil think, ripe tannins. The best is yet to come, but if you have a few, open one now, it's delicious. recommneded
Served non-blind.
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Wow, it's probably at peak right now. No obvious signs of age in its appearance, but the tarry cocoa powder notes of its youth are gone. There's still a little dusty smoke, especially on the nose, with the characteristic loamy earth that makes this obviously Chilean, but the mouth is packed with integrated red and black cherry, plum jam, and herb smoke. Tannins are pretty well resolved at this point, but there is still ample structure, and the cherry and red currant finish persists with a pleasant spiciness. Really outstanding.
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- Garnet color and aromas of licorice anise. It's in total harmony and has flavours of dusty with a medium/full body. Satin-Like texture with a long finish.
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Slow o'd for a few hours. Tons of nuance on the nose. Lots of fruit, tons of complexity. So much going on. I do like Almaviva. I see further upside for this vintage, and it makes me think I should hold my younger ones for a while.
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Daylight Saving Time Celebration Extravaganza (Rocknroller's (Kevin's)): Purple red color. 4 hours slow-O, no decant, drank 1 glass over 2 hours. Wow, another impressive wine. Intense nose with black and blue fruits of cassis, blueberry pie, blackberry, boysenberry, floral, subtle earth, some herbs, just a bit savory. The palate displays impressive depth, very concentrated but lithe, plush mouthfeel, blackberry, cassis, an array of berries, spice, round tannin, minerals, and a very long finish. 94+ to 95pts. My and group WOTN.
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Needed a longer decant than they hour we have this. Dark red, concentrated, balanced and very complex. It's been a few years since I've had this and it's evolved nicely and believe will continue to evolve for at least another 5 years. Slightly bitter woody note on the finish which I couldn't tell whether mildly corked but didn't detract too much from the overall class of this wine.
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Opened and poured--would have benefited from decant. Still a solid wine. Wonderful aroma and fruit. Compares favorably with my previous favorite Chilean wine--Don Melchor. This is at a good place and, although can probably last for a few more years, probably will not get much better.
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More consistency in quality from Almaviva. Concentrated full bodied cassis flavours laced with liquorice are up front in your face on the nose and in the mouth. Like previous vintages, I find the wine chewy, velvety, and perfectly balanced. Goes down like grape juice. This is a monster bomb of fruit built for the new world market and absolutely nothing like a Bordeaux or a Napa. Uniquely Chilean and built for the new world taster. Drinks well now but as a taster that prefers old world wines I suggest giving it a few more years to allow it to mellow out a bit...this should provide the opportunity for more complex aromas to tickle your tongue. Absolutely Fabulous! Suggested date to taste: 2016 to 2020.
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Weekly tasting group #069; A fully blind test. (@ WW): Dark blood red and a not very much evolved color. In the bouquet mainly ripe dark forest fruits, some sweet spices and beautiful oak. On the palate the same fruits, some smoke, minerals, cherries as well, sweet spices. A very juicy wine. The finish was a bit on the short side, but nevertheless a luxurious wine.
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- Brick color and aromas of blackberry, black currant, strawberry jam, burnt toast and vanilla. It's in total harmony and has flavours of blackberry, burnt toast and oak with a medium/full body. Linear texture with a long finish.
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gd structure n well balance.elagant.decent red n black fruits.evident oak sign.has nt reach its peak but quite njoyable drinking nw.shud reach its peak in 4-5 yrs time
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Took a couple hours to really show up. Nose of blueberries and black currant. Blackberry, black pepper, prune with ample but fine tannin and acidity to keep it lively. Seemed a little backward.
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Opened and poured into a decanter through a Vinturi. Drank over 5 hours. Very closed upon opening and after 5 hours, still had not opened completely. Very dark garnet in color, not a lot of fruit on the nose. Very full bodied and nicely balanced - good acidity, still tannic, but smooth. Not a lot of fruit flavors on the palate - this wine is still too young. My guess it needs 3 or 4 more years to develop, but should probably wait 6 to 10 years to allow it to hit its stride.
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open up 7 hrs.nice structure n balance.rather intense palate.its sweet n has a evident tea leaves flavour tat coates outside the palate.tis bttl is stil young to drnk.reckon shud b well drnking in 5 to 6 yrs time.dislike:its a little too sweet for me.overall:a bttl of wine tat wil nt let disappoint wine drinkers
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8.5/10 - Concentrated red juicy goodness in a bottle. Great red currant and red cherry flavours and just a hint of chocolate. The acidity and tannins are nicely balanced with a silky finish. The soft and slightly sweet carmenere comes through well on this wine. Wine's ready for drinking now and for years to come.
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tried tis btl with a bunch of my frnd.open up for 8 hrs under the temperature of 16 degrees.not typical chilean wine.gd structure n nice bodly.minus point:if onli it has a little more weight on the mid palate.likely nd another 2 to 3 yrs. but overall,its a wine tat i wud like to keep on drinking.its slightly a little bit overprice.well,i cn stil live with tat as it is really a gd bttl of wine despite tis vintage.
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This really showed superb Bordeaux character from beginning to end. Slightly maturing color, loads of mineral, tobacco, fine balance and structure, carrying its 14.5% alcohol quite well. A real treat and a fun wine for drinking right now. Generously provided by fingers at OC gathering at WCC.
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Hints of cedar, pencil lead typical of left bank bordeaux wines. If it continues to develop like this it will be a very good wine, but not sure about the value.
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Didn't thought that a blend of Carmenère and C.S will taste that good! Open the bottle two hours before dinner, no decanting etc... I will try the other bottle in two years but don't see it improve that much as it looks at it's pick now.... same that the price is that high...
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Tar on the nose, but not that expressive, probably will open up still in the carafe. On the palate not the kick in the face I was expecting, but a elegant, silky smooth texture. The Rothschild-influence sertainly evident. Any sweeter and it would be too much for me . Virtually no tannins but a nice, slowly fading aftertaste. Where is it going from here? Not sure I'd chance it, I like it now.
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awesome wine that transcends - deep, rich flavors with beautiful integration of the tannins,, acidity, and fruit - opulent with a long finish showing a hint of cedar and mint
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Dark opaque purplish red colour. Nose is lovely fresh blackcurrants, pencil lead and fresh sawn wood planks. Palate is thick, heavy and mouthcoating but initially very dry and young and new white wood planks. Sharp but not quite ripe cherries then emerge and it gets silkier with more time open. It evolved into a little more open with extended time but this is still basically a young, closed wine. Popped and poured straight from my 12 degree cellar in Thailand then drank from the decanter over the next 2 hours. .......too young and not properly treated in the way we served it but still very good.
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Dark ruby red, classic Bordeaux nose of saddle leather, tobacco leaf, mint, sage and caramel, palate was fruit driven with super suave tannins buffered by tangy acidity, medium length but very complex finish
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I loved this. As a disclaimer, these Bordeaux inspired blends from the new world are right down the center of my alley. I could not resist the dark red cherry fruit and strong sweet tobacco scents with leathery licorice and tasteful, judicious vanilla notes. Long finish; great grippy, medium weight, seriously structured mouthfeel. This could have been a 200 dollar Pauillac, easy!
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Drank from a 375ml. This bottle was young and I did not give it a score as I felt it needed much more time. Hints of dark fruit, mocha, and french roast cofee on the nose with a really closed off palate of spice, mineral, and hot and sour soup. closed finish. Clearly needs time in the cellar.
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Excellent! I could smell vanilla and red fruit half a meter away. Fruity, concentraded, full bodied. Lots of vanilla, plum and cherries. Lasted an eternity...
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When first poured, tar dominated the nose, but with about two hours in the decanter, that tar loosens up to some nice cocoa powder, loam, brambly cedar spice, and lots of currant. Gorgeous, dense and complex nose that says Chile all over it. The mouth is very Bordeaux, primarily currant and black cherry, with notes of tobacco and leather that carry through the very nice finish. Gets a profile of increasing sweet tones with time. 93+ (I have an odd feeling that I've underrated this relative to some ratings I've given recently to the '05s from Clos Apalta and Don Melchor. It's an excitement factor, probably, but you gotta credit wines with excitement, don't you?)
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Ray's farewell (Sage Restaurant, Singapore): From a 375ml. Not altogether pleasant when we first popped and poured - it came about very closed, a little thin and very heaty. It really transformed with time in the decanter though, out-performing the very nice 2001 Sociando Mallet that we had alongside. Great pairing with my roasted beef cheek dish. By the time we tried it again, the nose showed dust, leather, meat, black fruits, smoke and ash with lots of dark fruit - cherries, blackcurrants et al. Quite deep and dark and intriguing. The palate was sweeter than Bordeaux, than most left bank Bordeaux actually, so that it showed almost like a modern right bank, with flavours of black cherries, blackcurrant pastille sweets and just the lightest touch of kirsch along with a little perfumy note about mid-palate. There was a slight rivulet of minera running through the wine. Big at 14.5%, very plush, but I hardly noticed the size of the wine because it was lifted by great round acidity and chewy, but fine-boned tannins. Long, long finish with a little oak, some red bell pepper and a dash of cracked peppercorns. The heat remained until the last half glass I had, but it did fade eventually. Certainly complex and rich, this wine needs a bit more time to integrate. So, while it is delicious now, I am also grading it on upside potential. I do not think it will ever be quite as profound as the 2001, but it should be quite delightful in 3-4 years time.
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Popped & poured, but I let it sit in the glass for over an hour & took a whiff & a taste every 15 minutes or so. Not quite as good as the '01 when it was young (and at it's best). Complex nose of toasty oak, black fruit & a bit of spice. Much more reminiscent of Napa than Chile. This got better with air; very well integrated, and a long pronounced finish. I'm not making the same mistake of holding these like I did the '01's, I'm drinking the balance of my '04's within the next six months. 5+15+16+5 (90-92)
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A great bottle of wine and probably the best there is coming out of Chile. I love the nose on this wine. It just explodes out of the glass with red currants, cherry and dark chocolate mixed with a bit of vanilla. Flavors are simply fantastic with excellent fruit and a wonderfully silky texture that brings everything together. This was the last of my 04s and I am looking forward to the 05s, which are supposed to be the best ever.
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Fruit-forward wine, with plums, cherries and blackcurrants, and fine powdery tannins. Medium length, very enjoyable but not a very complex wine. Drink now-2011.
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not as good as usual. Delivered good spice, chocolate and bright fruits, but the fruit was too sweet in my opinion. Not the massive complexity I usually associate with Almaviva. Somewhat one dimensional.
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Decanted for 4+ hours. Nice color. Dark cherry nose with some coffee and spice. The wine coats your mouth with a silky sense. I really enjoyed the way it filled my mouth with cherries and tobacco. The taste lingers for some time and is very enjoyable. Very good juice.
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Dark purple in color. Floral nose of big fruit - blackcurrants, dark cherries, a little plumminess, vanilla. On the palate, same fruits, oak, peppery spice, forest floor/pine. Overpowering fruit, a shade jammy, not much other complexity. I think this gets 95ish Parker scores, but based on ths bottle, I don't get it. Tastes like a powerful cali cab, with a slightly more herbal edge, which I'm guessing comes from the carmenere and cab franc.
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Almaviva is, by far, my favorite Chilean wine and is consistently excellent from bottle to bottle. This was my first taste of the 2004, having previously gone though a half case of the 03s over the last couple of years. Wonderful concentration of flavors and scents with cherries, plum, and spice wound up in a smooth and elegant package that would probably benefit from 5 or 6 years of age but they are so good when young that it is really hard to stay away from them. However, I think that the 2004 is just a small step behind the 2003 in quality but that is still like saying my Aston Martin is not as good as my Ferrari. Price on this wine is slowly starting to creep up and hopefully they don't go too much higher. The 03s were $50, the 04s $55 and the 05s are now around $65.
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I have heard fabulous things about Almaviva and have had my eye on picking one up to try out for quite some time now. Luckily, a friend decided to open this 2004 up, I had my chance to take this for a test drive. Right off the bat, you can't miss the soft spice and ripe fruit notes on the nose. Surprisingly smooth right out of the freshly opened bottle. The flaors are lush, concentrated and complex. Blackberries, dark cherries, spice and some leather. This is just a really sexy wine that is just a pleasure to drink and makes you want to come back for more...and more...and more. It is likely the best Chilean wine that I have ever had, and I can't imagine there being too much out there that can top it. I will definitely be picking some of this up, regardless of what vintage.
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This is the bottle that did it for me. First time, I was amazed by its concentration and flavors. (I saw a lot of bottle variations on this wine, and subsequent tries weren't so good.)
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The second half was a marked improvement. Much less volatile nose and taste. Unfortunately the bitter cherry and chocolate flavors disappeared, replaced by generic dark fruits. Finish was still too hot - it just doesn't carry 14.5% well. Also noticed that this was an absurdly heavy bottle, a feature that Jancis Robinson has highlighted in recent months
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I didn't appreciate this particular bottle. Decanted half of it for about 30 minutes. The nose was dominated by either pure heat or heat + eucalyptus/menthol. After several minutes in the glass, some nice chocolate and sour cherry notes came through. The taste followed the same pattern - very hot and disjointed at first, then resolving into some pleasurable but not very complex flavors; nice chocolate finish battled the heat and the thin, bitter tannins. I hope the second half is an improvement
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Beautiful dark color. Gorgeaus nose of dark berries and some cassis. A bit of a floral hint. Light, but there. Luxurious on the palate with a mid to lengthy finish. A well balanced wine by all counts. Very nice.
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Beautiful nose of dark fruits. Highly extracted purple/red. Tastes like a top 2nd cru classe bordeaux, very ripe with initial sweetness followed by a slightly bitter chocolate edge on the tail (carmenere?). Smooth with a complex finish. A similar experience to the 01'. Hard to beat at this price point. Recommended.
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Day 1 Decanted for @ hours More evolved than the 03 at the same point in time. Great extraction and depth of fruit. Wonderful complexity on the nose with beautiful floral notes, green bell pepper, minerals and a touch of vanilla , accompanied by a melange of red and black fruits. With each additional sniff, I get a differing array of notes. On the palette, serious ripe sweet tannins with the same red and black fruits noted n the nose. At the end of the finish is clipped by tannins that dry the back of the throat. The Carmenere gives a brawny mouthfeel that I totally dig. There is something unique I get from Almaviva that is hard to describe, but I thoroughly enjoy. Its like a blend between a classy meritage and southern rhone. I noticed the same aspects in the 2003 version.
Day 2 Much of the same as day one, but a little smoother. Excellent wine.
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Realmente maravilhoso com potencial para melhorar mais. Tanino perfeitos, ótima acidez com notas de especiarias, madeira, chocolate e frutas vermelhas com final marcante e persistente.
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Deep, rich red. Nose took about 30 minutes to open up, and revealed strawberries and anise. Saturating palate filled with blackberries, spice and a crisp tannic bite. This is a young wine that is a monster. Loved it.
40+5+5+18+18+8=94
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This is the ultimate auto mechanic's wine. A great cab with strong rear-end differential oil characteristic. The wife detected some green pepper as well. We love this wine!
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Vintners notes suggest that the 2004 may not be as voluptous as previous vintages, and at first glance that certainly plays out. The color and density are somewhat lighter than say the 2003 and 2001 (the '01 is my benchmark for this wine). The nose is simple, and pure but not powerful, some floral notes, feminine. The entry, mid-pallete and finish are best described as focused. Not a whirlwind of flavors, but a well balanced mixture of incense and anise over black fruit. The tannins are dusty, persisting nicely on the finish. Now on the third day of an open bottle, it has started to approach the lushness of previous vintages, showing much more of a nose (beautiful) and more fruit plus the kind of mouth feel that I recall from previous vintages. RP described the '02 as suave, which I think is a very apt characterization of this wine . The quality of Almaviva is always one of the star features, and the 2004 does not disappoint. This may be as good as the 2001. It's at least a 95 with what I would judge as potential for a couple points upside. Initially had this at 93, but air really improved the profile to the point where it compares favorably to the benchmark, perhaps more approachable now. 95+
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5/22/2023 - shafer1994 Likes this wine: 93 Points
No decant. Deep red color, complex nose. Blackberries, black and red currant, some vanilla and cacao notes with leather all included in a velvet cocoon. Medium silky finish with some acidity and some tannins left. I think there are some more years of development ahead.
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4/30/2023 - Creaselesspants Likes this wine: 94 Points
2004 almaviva
Deep persistence and heavy nose
Blackberrry, dark plum, rose and violet, cocoa and cinnamon, light charred vegetal character coming on late-becoming more pronounced with time, high acidity. Medium + body. Drink now, perhaps a bit spent but still outstanding. I prefer the Don Melchor but this is an outstanding bottle. Spent two hours in a decanter. 94 points.
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12/31/2021 - SCN68 Likes this wine: 94 Points
I wasn’t certain what to expect but it was utterly spectacular. At it’s peak so drink now, no need to wait. Tannins are resolved so you’re left with ripe, mature fruit. Full-bodied, mouth filling, 1 minute+ finish. Luckily , I have a couple more.
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1/6/2021 - smahk wrote: 92 Points
Color: deep garnet
Nose: black cherry plum anise vanilla
This is a full bodied wine with cherry and plum upfront followed by anise, vanilla and chocolate. A nice lingering finish with well integrated tannins.
This is still quite vibrant with years to go. I purchased a case in early 2007 and they have been properly cellared since.
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11/2/2020 - guitarguy wrote: 92 Points
Drink any time. This had a nose of smoky boysenberry fruit. Good lift. Mild, caressing tannins with blackberry, bitter chocolate, cracked pepper and a good mouth coat. This is it. Drink it now or maybe 1-2 years. It’s peaked, not likely to improve and, truthfully, why wait?
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9/12/2020 - Philip67 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wow! Huge nose of Christmas cake. Big rich, tannins softening. Figs and dates, black cherry compote. Long finish. Full maturity, drink now. Complex and long.
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9/6/2020 - vinhonotte Likes this wine: 92 Points
Medium ruby, with significant browning fading edges, viscous and highly extracted. Aromas of blackberry, black pepper, green bell pepper, some herbal notes and slight cigar. Full-bodied and high alcohol heat, with rounded tannins, and intense flavours of ripe blackberry, cherry, cloves, roasted bell pepper, and Chinese herbs. Fairly long finish, with a good complexity
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6/12/2020 - dnnk88 wrote: 91 Points
CB Wine Night #16 - CT92 up + 10 reviews + 2013 & Older!: Still young and the New World style is quite forthcoming. Palate of black fruits, cherries, dark chocolate and sweet herbs, the latter which threw me off a little. 91/92
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12/18/2019 - guitarguy wrote: 92 Points
This has to be peaking, the nose includes forest floor, boysenberry and licorice notes. Flavors are lean but ample, blueberry, cracked pepper, cola, fine but caressing tannins, hints of leather. I’d drink by the end of 2020.
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12/6/2019 - robertgf wrote: 93 Points
(Wine lunch at Kevin % Vicki's).This was the last of our big reds, and after the 92 Mondavi, this seemed to be a young bright wine. Yet, it's 15 years old! What a show off! Everything about it just sang. I regret that my aging palate doesn't detect half the nuances Rocknroller finds, but you can read his detailed notes below. I did get a sweet mixed fruit nose with some vanella, and cedar offerings. The lush palate again has lots of developed fruit (by that I mean this is not a new world fruit bomb). A long lingering finish leaves one with a smdige of dark chocolate in a caressing glove of white pepper. I am not usually so romantic in my prose, but this wine....
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12/4/2019 - rocknroller wrote: 93 Points
Wednesday Wine Lunch (Rocknroller's (Kevin & Vicki's Place)): Very dark red/purple color. PNP, drank 2 glasses over 4 hours plus. Impressive nose, complex with very pure fruits; cassis, boysenberry, blackberry, damp earth, truffle, cedarbox, pencil shavings and white pepper. The palate is full bodied and offers lovely brambly black and blue fruits; cassis, plum, boysenberry, blackberry, savory, graphite, truffle, soil, white pepper and a long finish with very polished tannins. This has beautiful fruit at 15+ years of age. Drinking more modern in style, forward and luxurious, but so balanced, complex, tart and fresh that there is no sense of this being anything short of outstanding. Reportedly 72% Cab and 28% Carmenere, but there's usually 4 or 5% Cab Franc that reduces the Carmenere percentage. The CT window suggests this is at the end of the line. I'd say far from it, this easily has 5 more years or more. 93+ to 94pts.
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1/24/2018 - SlimShaney Does not like this wine: 85 Points
A dry vintage apparently but whatever the cause the nose is like manure; yeah very off putting. If I ordered at a restaurant this would be an omg yikes! moment. Take it away. Palate has dried leaves and a pronounced grape skin tannins.
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6/6/2017 - Rezy13 wrote:
Tuesday Night Double Blind $60+ (Alpharetta, GA): Dark core with maroon rim; green pepper, sweet red currant, Chile, sweet dense fruit, slight chocolate and mocha, red currants, leaner but a modern plushness, wet earth, green pepper, a creaminess, cinnamon, clove, vegetal; drinking very youthful, really stood out when compared to the Italian theme this evening; mentioned Almaviva but called '08 Montes M- keying on the Carmenere.
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1/28/2017 - Sthel Likes this wine: 96 Points
Vinho espetacular. Vermelho rubi intenso, quase negro. Aromas de tabaco, especiarias, chocolate e baunilha. Na boca é muito macio, taninos bem equilibrados, sedoso e aveludado. Muito encorpado e extremamente saboroso, com final longo e persistente.
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1/21/2017 - Derek Darth Taster wrote: 93 Points
Davyd's Birthday Celebration 2017 (Extra Space): Slow-oxed in bottle for 2 hours before tasting.
Appearance is clear, deep intensisty, purplish-ruby colour. Legs.
Nose is clean, pronounced intensity, with aromas of orange peel, tangerines, cedar, perfumy toasted oak, black fruits. Developing.
On the palate, dry, medium acidity, high alcohol (14.5%), fine soft silky high tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of cedar, blackcurrant, blackberries, cassis, licorice, tobacco. Long finish.
Very good quality. Very easy on the palate despite the high alcohol, probably due to the relaxed acidity and the soft silky tannins. Easy to appreciate the sweet ripe black fruits here. Tastes like an ultra-modern extremely well polished Bordeaux. Will still last another 4-5 years but why wait. Already enjoyable.
Blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon and 28% Carmenere. Commendably no green notes here for me. Interesting and intriguing tangerines on the nose.
2 days not under vacuum seal!: Still alive and kicking. With smooth chocolate, grilled herbs, and minty cedar. Very long finish.
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12/22/2016 - darren81 Likes this wine:
8.5/10 - Refer to prior note. Drinking really well. Just enough acidity to keep it fresh tasting and a little eucalyptus on the cigar box. A pity I'm out of this!
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8/30/2016 - tomoem Likes this wine: 96 Points
This is one of the best wines I have had in weeks maybe months. The nose is all left bank Bordeaux. Aromas of earth, smoked cigar, curing asphalt converge to dominate the profile. Berry aromas follow and at this point the wine has me !
The mouth feel is pure velvet. Smooth and soft with flavors of cigar box
cedar, cassis and aged blackberry. It's flavors are complex and not easily broken down given the black fruit which follows through to the finish.
The finish is over 1 minute long and lingers with blackberry, cassis, and cigar flavors. Wow !
While you might say that it is probably at peak right now, I think that this wine has tremendous potential. I had this wine several times over the past 10 years and this is the best showing. There are no obvious signs that it is done improving.
This is a fabulous wine and worth opening now. After my one minute of lingering flavor the wine contnues to produce flavor and its dryness on the finish tells me it could still improve.
This is an outstanding wine !!!!!
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5/16/2016 - Vinum Deorum wrote: 88 Points
Nice wine, even if I thought it was slightly overrippe (not far from being flabby). It is dense, powerful, and has nice tannins but lacks of acidity and finesse. Very technical and modern in the making, but quite nice though. I wouldn't drink this often, but once in a while is okay. It was actually better than what I initially expected.
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12/30/2015 - Jimywags wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for two hours (tons of sediment). Really nice bottle of wine. Aromas of tobacco, woodsmoke, currants, red plum, and black licorice. The oak is still present but definitely as a supporting character these days, which is a great. Layers of cedar and black cherry preserves harmonize well with each other on the finish. 93pts.
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11/22/2015 - guitarguy wrote: 91 Points
Well integrated, nice fruit with just there tannin. Not sure how long it has left but drink 1-2 years, I think.
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11/4/2015 - yenda Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nice wine indeed. However found 2004 drank alongside more interesting
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10/8/2015 - guitarguy Likes this wine: 93 Points
I quite enjoyed this bottle. The nez leaped out of the glass with deep berry, ash, a hint of evergreen Christmas. One of those rare wines enjoyable just by smelling in the glass. Flavors are nicely integrated with what feels like a perfectly balance fruit, acid and tannin. Purple grape, violet, blackstrap and black pepper in the finish. Perhaps could finish longer but that's looking for a nit. In my mind this is at peak.
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6/22/2015 - Rmjchen Likes this wine: 93 Points
Gifted to friend. A great wine!
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6/16/2015 - Rezy13 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tuesday Night Double Blind $40+ (Bin 75): Dark opaque core with thin crimson rim; new oak, high toned, nutty, dark fruit, chocolate, soy, cedar, dark cherry, almost seems Italian on nose; larger scaled on the palate, silky caressing tannin, dark fruit, plum, chocolate, decent acid, big, tar, lots of chocolate, dense; really good, modern but tasty; surprised to see this as Chile because it didn't have prominent green notes.
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2/10/2015 - J @ y H @ c k Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted at 1:30 pm, poured back into the bottle after cleaning the bottle (tons of sediment) at 6:30, brought to Mortons for dinner and followed for about an hour.
WOW. This wine is in an incredible spot right now. Balanced fruit - neither sweet nor dark and brooding. A bit of cherries but nothing like the Glaetzer Anaperenna we drank after it, some plums and some dark berries. The flavors were so well integrated that it was difficult to distinguish one from another, but it didn't matter because the overall flavor was just great and it went down so well. There was a bit of cocoa but very light along with a touch of berry. The tannins have quietly disappeared into the night. Color was very dark, finish was average.
AND in the "You can't make this up" category, I notice that a guy at the table next to us has called over the waiter and it obviously talking about our wine, so I lean over to talk to him. It turns out that he is a member of the family that controls or runs Concha y Toro. Alma Viva is a Chilean project of Baron Rothschild and Concha y Toro, much the same way as Opus is a project of Mondavi and Rothschild. He told me that they have a periodic event at Mouton and they pour the Alma Viva, the Opus and the Mouton together. He claimed that the Alma Viva always comes out on top. After this bottle, I am not surprised.
According to the tech sheet on the web site, this is 72% Cabernet and 28% Carmenere. The exact blend varies vintage to vintage. I was surprised at the lack of merlot because this has a very velvety merlot feel to it.
NOTE: This is the third Alma Viva bottle I have opened. There has been a lot of sediment in all the bottles. A careful decant is essential to the enjoyment of this wine.
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2/10/2015 - stayhappy21 wrote: 94 Points
Tasted this tonight at Almaviva Vertical Tasting.
Made of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon and 28% Carmenere.
Purple in colour turning ruby red, with a seductive nose with ripe plums. Upon entry the wine is smooth and rounded with mellow tannins. Concentrated berries and strawberry jam on the palate. The oak, structure and acidity are holding up very nicely, with some leathery and buttery notes in the end.
A very balanced wine.
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12/25/2014 - guitarguy wrote: 88 Points
A fair bottle, currant and green pepper in the nose. Raspberry, pepper, tar and moderate tannin. Not bad, expected more.
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12/6/2014 - MLD70 Likes this wine:
From magnum. Decanted half the bottle for 2 hours. Really a delicious wine, with rich dark fruits and lush texture. Vac u vin for two glasses the next day and still delicious. Pumped a second night to hold the last glass worth and while some of the intensity had faded, it was still full of fruit and life. No need to rush out and open these.
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11/22/2014 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
In a terrific place right now, after 4 hours in decanter. Dark ruby, no sign of age. Equal parts fruit and earth, with a slight bias toward red vs black fruits. Would have proved a worth ringer in a BDX blind tasting, I think. Suitably proportioned a balanced, with a cool nature that added elegance and length to each taste. Full-bodied, pencil think, ripe tannins. The best is yet to come, but if you have a few, open one now, it's delicious. recommneded
Served non-blind.
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8/13/2014 - pgm wrote: 94 Points
Wow, it's probably at peak right now. No obvious signs of age in its appearance, but the tarry cocoa powder notes of its youth are gone. There's still a little dusty smoke, especially on the nose, with the characteristic loamy earth that makes this obviously Chilean, but the mouth is packed with integrated red and black cherry, plum jam, and herb smoke. Tannins are pretty well resolved at this point, but there is still ample structure, and the cherry and red currant finish persists with a pleasant spiciness. Really outstanding.
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6/27/2014 - Bjha wrote: 94 Points
- Garnet color and aromas of licorice anise. It's in total harmony and has flavours of dusty with a medium/full body. Satin-Like texture with a long finish.
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3/11/2014 - gimonca Likes this wine: 93 Points
Pepper, ink, blackcurrant and blueberry with a hint of smoke. Rich, silky mouthfeel. Overall superb.
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3/9/2014 - galewskj wrote: 94 Points
Slow o'd for a few hours. Tons of nuance on the nose. Lots of fruit, tons of complexity. So much going on. I do like Almaviva. I see further upside for this vintage, and it makes me think I should hold my younger ones for a while.
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3/8/2014 - rocknroller wrote: 94 Points
Daylight Saving Time Celebration Extravaganza (Rocknroller's (Kevin's)): Purple red color. 4 hours slow-O, no decant, drank 1 glass over 2 hours. Wow, another impressive wine. Intense nose with black and blue fruits of cassis, blueberry pie, blackberry, boysenberry, floral, subtle earth, some herbs, just a bit savory. The palate displays impressive depth, very concentrated but lithe, plush mouthfeel, blackberry, cassis, an array of berries, spice, round tannin, minerals, and a very long finish. 94+ to 95pts. My and group WOTN.
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11/24/2013 - MattJ Likes this wine: 93 Points
Needed a longer decant than they hour we have this. Dark red, concentrated, balanced and very complex. It's been a few years since I've had this and it's evolved nicely and believe will continue to evolve for at least another 5 years. Slightly bitter woody note on the finish which I couldn't tell whether mildly corked but didn't detract too much from the overall class of this wine.
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9/19/2013 - gew71walsh wrote: 93 Points
Opened and poured--would have benefited from decant. Still a solid wine. Wonderful aroma and fruit. Compares favorably with my previous favorite Chilean wine--Don Melchor. This is at a good place and, although can probably last for a few more years, probably will not get much better.
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8/11/2013 - Happy Sommelier Likes this wine: 93 Points
More consistency in quality from Almaviva. Concentrated full bodied cassis flavours laced with liquorice are up front in your face on the nose and in the mouth. Like previous vintages, I find the wine chewy, velvety, and perfectly balanced. Goes down like grape juice. This is a monster bomb of fruit built for the new world market and absolutely nothing like a Bordeaux or a Napa. Uniquely Chilean and built for the new world taster. Drinks well now but as a taster that prefers old world wines I suggest giving it a few more years to allow it to mellow out a bit...this should provide the opportunity for more complex aromas to tickle your tongue. Absolutely Fabulous! Suggested date to taste: 2016 to 2020.
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4/15/2013 - Zweder Likes this wine: 92 Points
Weekly tasting group #069; A fully blind test. (@ WW): Dark blood red and a not very much evolved color. In the bouquet mainly ripe dark forest fruits, some sweet spices and beautiful oak. On the palate the same fruits, some smoke, minerals, cherries as well, sweet spices. A very juicy wine. The finish was a bit on the short side, but nevertheless a luxurious wine.
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2/16/2013 - stephen locke wrote: 93 Points
Lovely wine, it does seem to be that real mix of the two countries - very enjoyable and a long life ahead
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12/25/2012 - JLucas wrote: 94 Points
In great shape but has a lot of life ahead of it. Just a massive, delicious wine.
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9/23/2012 - eguchrh wrote: 95 Points
- Brick color and aromas of blackberry, black currant, strawberry jam, burnt toast and vanilla. It's in total harmony and has flavours of blackberry, burnt toast and oak with a medium/full body. Linear texture with a long finish.
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9/20/2012 - cabber wrote: 96 Points
Bordeaux Blends Around the World (Manhattan Beach, CA): Decanted 12 hours. Elegant nose, ripe fruit and perfect balance. Beautiful.
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5/19/2012 - hdantas Likes this wine: 92 Points
750 ML
14,5%
Chile
Was very good, but LASCOMBES was better...
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2/10/2012 - clairenclarence wrote: 93 Points
gd structure n well balance.elagant.decent red n black fruits.evident oak sign.has nt reach its peak but quite njoyable drinking nw.shud reach its peak in 4-5 yrs time
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2/2/2012 - guitarguy wrote: 90 Points
Took a couple hours to really show up. Nose of blueberries and black currant. Blackberry, black pepper, prune with ample but fine tannin and acidity to keep it lively. Seemed a little backward.
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1/19/2012 - joefel Likes this wine: 91 Points
Opened and poured into a decanter through a Vinturi. Drank over 5 hours. Very closed upon opening and after 5 hours, still had not opened completely. Very dark garnet in color, not a lot of fruit on the nose. Very full bodied and nicely balanced - good acidity, still tannic, but smooth. Not a lot of fruit flavors on the palate - this wine is still too young. My guess it needs 3 or 4 more years to develop, but should probably wait 6 to 10 years to allow it to hit its stride.
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10/2/2011 - latorsher wrote: 90 Points
full bodied and complete.
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9/21/2011 - Son888 wrote:
- Garnet color with medium forming legs.
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9/16/2011 - clairenclarence wrote: 93 Points
open up 7 hrs.nice structure n balance.rather intense palate.its sweet n has a evident tea leaves flavour tat coates outside the palate.tis bttl is stil young to drnk.reckon shud b well drnking in 5 to 6 yrs time.dislike:its a little too sweet for me.overall:a bttl of wine tat wil nt let disappoint wine drinkers
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8/13/2011 - darren81 wrote:
8.5/10 - Concentrated red juicy goodness in a bottle. Great red currant and red cherry flavours and just a hint of chocolate. The acidity and tannins are nicely balanced with a silky finish. The soft and slightly sweet carmenere comes through well on this wine. Wine's ready for drinking now and for years to come.
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7/17/2011 - clairenclarence wrote: 92 Points
tried tis btl with a bunch of my frnd.open up for 8 hrs under the temperature of 16 degrees.not typical chilean wine.gd structure n nice bodly.minus point:if onli it has a little more weight on the mid palate.likely nd another 2 to 3 yrs. but overall,its a wine tat i wud like to keep on drinking.its slightly a little bit overprice.well,i cn stil live with tat as it is really a gd bttl of wine despite tis vintage.
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1/22/2011 - petitblanc wrote: 92 Points
This really showed superb Bordeaux character from beginning to end. Slightly maturing color, loads of mineral, tobacco, fine balance and structure, carrying its 14.5% alcohol quite well. A real treat and a fun wine for drinking right now. Generously provided by fingers at OC gathering at WCC.
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10/29/2010 - Adam T 12 wrote: 93 Points
Somewhere between 91 and 93... deep color, good nose, and I definitely got a bordeaux character from this wine. Very good overall, and worth ~$100.
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10/9/2010 - PhilJ wrote: 92 Points
Hints of cedar, pencil lead typical of left bank bordeaux wines. If it continues to develop like this it will be a very good wine, but not sure about the value.
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10/9/2010 - tshahar wrote: 93 Points
Didn't thought that a blend of Carmenère and C.S will taste that good! Open the bottle two hours before dinner, no decanting etc...
I will try the other bottle in two years but don't see it improve that much as it looks at it's pick now.... same that the price is that high...
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9/11/2010 - J.L wrote: 93 Points
Tar on the nose, but not that expressive, probably will open up still in the carafe. On the palate not the kick in the face I was expecting, but a elegant, silky smooth texture. The Rothschild-influence sertainly evident. Any sweeter and it would be too much for me . Virtually no tannins but a nice, slowly fading aftertaste. Where is it going from here? Not sure I'd chance it, I like it now.
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5/25/2010 - ews3 wrote: 92 Points
Synygy Wine Tasting Club - South America (Turbine Hall, Chester PA): chocolate, black fruit, and dusty tannins on the med(+) bodied palate. medium(+) finish. Nice, but the weakest of the Almaviva's I've had the pleasure of tasting/drinking.
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4/8/2010 - S. Lorin wrote: 93 Points
awesome wine that transcends - deep, rich flavors with beautiful integration of the tannins,, acidity, and fruit - opulent with a long finish showing a hint of cedar and mint
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4/5/2010 - Goldstone wrote: 90 Points
Dark opaque purplish red colour. Nose is lovely fresh blackcurrants, pencil lead and fresh sawn wood planks. Palate is thick, heavy and mouthcoating but initially very dry and young and new white wood planks. Sharp but not quite ripe cherries then emerge and it gets silkier with more time open. It evolved into a little more open with extended time but this is still basically a young, closed wine. Popped and poured straight from my 12 degree cellar in Thailand then drank from the decanter over the next 2 hours. .......too young and not properly treated in the way we served it but still very good.
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3/18/2010 - schway wrote: 88 Points
Great fruit, but rather flabby. Lacking in structure and complexity.
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10/16/2009 - Tad GW wrote: 93 Points
50+5+12+18+8=93
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4/21/2009 - dannyk8232 wrote: 93 Points
Fantastic. Really opens up with ample air to reveal ripe fruit and good spiciness. Could benefit from a couple more years in the bottle.
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3/28/2009 - duchamp wrote: 92 Points
Dark ruby red, classic Bordeaux nose of saddle leather, tobacco leaf, mint, sage and caramel, palate was fruit driven with super suave tannins buffered by tangy acidity, medium length but very complex finish
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3/3/2009 - AdamWallstein wrote: 94 Points
I loved this. As a disclaimer, these Bordeaux inspired blends from the new world are right down the center of my alley. I could not resist the dark red cherry fruit and strong sweet tobacco scents with leathery licorice and tasteful, judicious vanilla notes. Long finish; great grippy, medium weight, seriously structured mouthfeel. This could have been a 200 dollar Pauillac, easy!
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1/20/2009 - jrube wrote: 92 Points
Smooth and well-balanced. The grapes comprising a minority share of this wine really stand out. Not as full-bodied as I remembered, but still great.
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1/17/2009 - cvvhrn wrote:
Drank from a 375ml. This bottle was young and I did not give it a score as I felt it needed much more time. Hints of dark fruit, mocha, and french roast cofee on the nose with a really closed off palate of spice, mineral, and hot and sour soup. closed finish. Clearly needs time in the cellar.
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1/1/2009 - MarcoAzevedo wrote: 94 Points
Excellent! I could smell vanilla and red fruit half a meter away. Fruity, concentraded, full bodied. Lots of vanilla, plum and cherries. Lasted an eternity...
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11/30/2008 - DenisLee wrote:
I wasn't blown away this time. I remember liking this more last time I drank it. Not sure if it was the same year though. It was okay.
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11/9/2008 - pgm wrote: 93 Points
When first poured, tar dominated the nose, but with about two hours in the decanter, that tar loosens up to some nice cocoa powder, loam, brambly cedar spice, and lots of currant. Gorgeous, dense and complex nose that says Chile all over it. The mouth is very Bordeaux, primarily currant and black cherry, with notes of tobacco and leather that carry through the very nice finish. Gets a profile of increasing sweet tones with time. 93+
(I have an odd feeling that I've underrated this relative to some ratings I've given recently to the '05s from Clos Apalta and Don Melchor. It's an excitement factor, probably, but you gotta credit wines with excitement, don't you?)
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11/9/2008 - zimmy07 wrote: 93 Points
Decanted 3 hours before drinking. Cedar, mocha, and spice. Really drank well.
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10/2/2008 - Paul S wrote: 93 Points
Ray's farewell (Sage Restaurant, Singapore): From a 375ml. Not altogether pleasant when we first popped and poured - it came about very closed, a little thin and very heaty. It really transformed with time in the decanter though, out-performing the very nice 2001 Sociando Mallet that we had alongside. Great pairing with my roasted beef cheek dish. By the time we tried it again, the nose showed dust, leather, meat, black fruits, smoke and ash with lots of dark fruit - cherries, blackcurrants et al. Quite deep and dark and intriguing. The palate was sweeter than Bordeaux, than most left bank Bordeaux actually, so that it showed almost like a modern right bank, with flavours of black cherries, blackcurrant pastille sweets and just the lightest touch of kirsch along with a little perfumy note about mid-palate. There was a slight rivulet of minera running through the wine. Big at 14.5%, very plush, but I hardly noticed the size of the wine because it was lifted by great round acidity and chewy, but fine-boned tannins. Long, long finish with a little oak, some red bell pepper and a dash of cracked peppercorns. The heat remained until the last half glass I had, but it did fade eventually. Certainly complex and rich, this wine needs a bit more time to integrate. So, while it is delicious now, I am also grading it on upside potential. I do not think it will ever be quite as profound as the 2001, but it should be quite delightful in 3-4 years time.
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9/6/2008 - Hollowleg wrote: 91 Points
Popped & poured, but I let it sit in the glass for over an hour & took a whiff & a taste every 15 minutes or so.
Not quite as good as the '01 when it was young (and at it's best).
Complex nose of toasty oak, black fruit & a bit of spice. Much more reminiscent of Napa than Chile.
This got better with air; very well integrated, and a long pronounced finish.
I'm not making the same mistake of holding these like I did the '01's, I'm drinking the balance of my '04's within the next six months.
5+15+16+5 (90-92)
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9/1/2008 - Rob MacKay wrote: 93 Points
A great bottle of wine and probably the best there is coming out of Chile. I love the nose on this wine. It just explodes out of the glass with red currants, cherry and dark chocolate mixed with a bit of vanilla. Flavors are simply fantastic with excellent fruit and a wonderfully silky texture that brings everything together. This was the last of my 04s and I am looking forward to the 05s, which are supposed to be the best ever.
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7/11/2008 - Rani wrote: 90 Points
Fruit-forward wine, with plums, cherries and blackcurrants, and fine powdery tannins. Medium length, very enjoyable but not a very complex wine. Drink now-2011.
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6/22/2008 - zimmy07 wrote: 91 Points
not as good as usual. Delivered good spice, chocolate and bright fruits, but the fruit was too sweet in my opinion. Not the massive complexity I usually associate with Almaviva. Somewhat one dimensional.
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6/15/2008 - ocattorney wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for 4+ hours. Nice color. Dark cherry nose with some coffee and spice. The wine coats your mouth with a silky sense. I really enjoyed the way it filled my mouth with cherries and tobacco. The taste lingers for some time and is very enjoyable. Very good juice.
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6/2/2008 - amateurwino wrote: 91 Points
Dark purple in color. Floral nose of big fruit - blackcurrants, dark cherries, a little plumminess, vanilla. On the palate, same fruits, oak, peppery spice, forest floor/pine. Overpowering fruit, a shade jammy, not much other complexity. I think this gets 95ish Parker scores, but based on ths bottle, I don't get it. Tastes like a powerful cali cab, with a slightly more herbal edge, which I'm guessing comes from the carmenere and cab franc.
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5/26/2008 - Rob MacKay wrote: 93 Points
Almaviva is, by far, my favorite Chilean wine and is consistently excellent from bottle to bottle. This was my first taste of the 2004, having previously gone though a half case of the 03s over the last couple of years. Wonderful concentration of flavors and scents with cherries, plum, and spice wound up in a smooth and elegant package that would probably benefit from 5 or 6 years of age but they are so good when young that it is really hard to stay away from them. However, I think that the 2004 is just a small step behind the 2003 in quality but that is still like saying my Aston Martin is not as good as my Ferrari. Price on this wine is slowly starting to creep up and hopefully they don't go too much higher. The 03s were $50, the 04s $55 and the 05s are now around $65.
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5/24/2008 - jhannah27 wrote: 92 Points
I have heard fabulous things about Almaviva and have had my eye on picking one up to try out for quite some time now. Luckily, a friend decided to open this 2004 up, I had my chance to take this for a test drive. Right off the bat, you can't miss the soft spice and ripe fruit notes on the nose. Surprisingly smooth right out of the freshly opened bottle. The flaors are lush, concentrated and complex. Blackberries, dark cherries, spice and some leather. This is just a really sexy wine that is just a pleasure to drink and makes you want to come back for more...and more...and more. It is likely the best Chilean wine that I have ever had, and I can't imagine there being too much out there that can top it. I will definitely be picking some of this up, regardless of what vintage.
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5/22/2008 - Number51 wrote: 93 Points
This is the bottle that did it for me. First time, I was amazed by its concentration and flavors.
(I saw a lot of bottle variations on this wine, and subsequent tries weren't so good.)
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5/10/2008 - Enfantterrible wrote:
The second half was a marked improvement. Much less volatile nose and taste. Unfortunately the bitter cherry and chocolate flavors disappeared, replaced by generic dark fruits. Finish was still too hot - it just doesn't carry 14.5% well. Also noticed that this was an absurdly heavy bottle, a feature that Jancis Robinson has highlighted in recent months
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5/8/2008 - Enfantterrible wrote:
I didn't appreciate this particular bottle. Decanted half of it for about 30 minutes. The nose was dominated by either pure heat or heat + eucalyptus/menthol. After several minutes in the glass, some nice chocolate and sour cherry notes came through. The taste followed the same pattern - very hot and disjointed at first, then resolving into some pleasurable but not very complex flavors; nice chocolate finish battled the heat and the thin, bitter tannins. I hope the second half is an improvement
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4/22/2008 - KSC02 wrote: 93 Points
Beautiful dark color. Gorgeaus nose of dark berries and some cassis. A bit of a floral hint. Light, but there. Luxurious on the palate with a mid to lengthy finish. A well balanced wine by all counts. Very nice.
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4/19/2008 - dannyk8232 wrote: 93 Points
outstanding
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4/17/2008 - Siggy wrote: 85 Points
Winestreet Does Chile & Argentina (Kozlak's, North Oaks, MN): Sweet cherry/blueberry fruit, slathered in lots of oak/vanilla. CaliCab-like. Good concentration; a bit heavy.
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4/13/2008 - MattJ wrote: 93 Points
Beautiful nose of dark fruits. Highly extracted purple/red. Tastes like a top 2nd cru classe bordeaux, very ripe with initial sweetness followed by a slightly bitter chocolate edge on the tail (carmenere?). Smooth with a complex finish. A similar experience to the 01'. Hard to beat at this price point. Recommended.
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3/28/2008 - bubbachumps wrote: 94 Points
Day 1
Decanted for @ hours More evolved than the 03 at the same point in time. Great extraction and depth of fruit. Wonderful complexity on the nose with beautiful floral notes, green bell pepper, minerals and a touch of vanilla , accompanied by a melange of red and black fruits. With each additional sniff, I get a differing array of notes. On the palette, serious ripe sweet tannins with the same red and black fruits noted n the nose. At the end of the finish is clipped by tannins that dry the back of the throat. The Carmenere gives a brawny mouthfeel that I totally dig. There is something unique I get from Almaviva that is hard to describe, but I thoroughly enjoy. Its like a blend between a classy meritage and southern rhone. I noticed the same aspects in the 2003 version.
Day 2
Much of the same as day one, but a little smoother. Excellent wine.
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3/22/2008 - alba_br wrote: 96 Points
Realmente maravilhoso com potencial para melhorar mais. Tanino perfeitos, ótima acidez com notas de especiarias, madeira, chocolate e frutas vermelhas com final marcante e persistente.
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1/8/2008 - dannyk8232 wrote: 94 Points
Popped and poured.
Deep, rich red. Nose took about 30 minutes to open up, and revealed strawberries and anise. Saturating palate filled with blackberries, spice and a crisp tannic bite. This is a young wine that is a monster. Loved it.
40+5+5+18+18+8=94
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12/1/2007 - TwoDogs wrote: 95 Points
This is the ultimate auto mechanic's wine. A great cab with strong rear-end differential oil characteristic. The wife detected some green pepper as well. We love this wine!
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9/4/2007 - zimmy07 wrote: 93 Points
Cedar, spice, and well integrated tannin. Still too young, may not last 20 years but should drink fine in 5-8 years.
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5/19/2007 - Wrighty wrote: 92 Points
Decanter New World Fine Wine Encounter (Landmark Hotel, London, England): A little wild strawberry and spice. Balanced with some wood. Good finish.
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1/23/2007 - ths wrote: 95 Points
Vintners notes suggest that the 2004 may not be as voluptous as previous vintages, and at first glance that certainly plays out. The color and density are somewhat lighter than say the 2003 and 2001 (the '01 is my benchmark for this wine). The nose is simple, and pure but not powerful, some floral notes, feminine. The entry, mid-pallete and finish are best described as focused. Not a whirlwind of flavors, but a well balanced mixture of incense and anise over black fruit. The tannins are dusty, persisting nicely on the finish. Now on the third day of an open bottle, it has started to approach the lushness of previous vintages, showing much more of a nose (beautiful) and more fruit plus the kind of mouth feel that I recall from previous vintages. RP described the '02 as suave, which I think is a very apt characterization of this wine . The quality of Almaviva is always one of the star features, and the 2004 does not disappoint. This may be as good as the 2001. It's at least a 95 with what I would judge as potential for a couple points upside. Initially had this at 93, but air really improved the profile to the point where it compares favorably to the benchmark, perhaps more approachable now. 95+
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